Name/Title
Edison Pioneers Membership Certificate for Lewis Howard Latimer, 1921Description
This certificate officially recognizes Lewis Howard Latimer as a member of the Edison Pioneers, an exclusive association of individuals who worked closely with Thomas Alva Edison and contributed significantly to his technological advancements. The ornate document features a portrait of Edison at the top, framed by intricate illustrations of significant buildings and inventions associated with Edison’s legacy. The certificate is printed on aged paper, with visible staining and wear, indicating its historical value.Context
The Edison Pioneers was an elite organization founded in 1918 to honor those who played a pivotal role in the development of electric lighting and early electrical innovations. Lewis Howard Latimer, a longstanding Edison employee who worked for the company as a patents witness, draftsman, and engineer, was the only African American in this distinguished group. This certificate, dated January 3, 1921, acknowledges his contributions to the electrical industry. Latimer’s possession of this certificate was doubtless a source of great personal pride.Collection
Latimer Family Papers (1870-1996 ) [QPL Full Collection]Transcription
“Edison Pioneers Organized 1918 By this diploma certifies that Lewis Howard Latimer Is a Member of the Edison Pioneers An association formed to bring together in friendly intercourse the men who have been associated with Mr. Thomas Alva Edison and his interests in the United States of America or abroad—who desire to pay tribute to his transcendent genius, to bear testimony to his achievements—to acknowledge the affection and esteem in which they hold him—and as far as lies within their power to do good deeds in his name. Witness our hand and seal at New York this third day of January, One Thousand Nine Hundred and Twenty-One. (Signed) Robert T. Lozier (Secretary) William Hammer (President)”